The Echo of Kim’s heart

“Jackpot!”

In one word, Jericho “Echo” Rosales eloquently summed up his feeling about his engagement to Fil-Brit model/TV host Kim Jones, his girlfriend of more than two years. The proposal was dramatized at the end of the service Sunday last week at the New Life Christian Center to which the Born-Again sweethearts belong.

The theme of that Sunday’s worship was Jesus is…Unli-Love and Echo capped the event by asking Pastor Jeric Soriano if he could go onstage to express his message of love, starting by saying that he could never explain why Jesus would choose to die for a sinner like him, asking, “Why me?”

Sunday, Aug. 4, happened to be Kim’s birthday. Turning to Kim, Echo said, “Will you marry me?” Of course, Kim said yes, announcing on her Twitter how Echo made her the happiest lady in the world, screaming, “I’m engaaaagggeeedddd!!!” Trumpeted Echo on his Twitter, “God is amazing! Yeeeeehaaaa!”

For this Conversation last Thursday at Annabel’s restaurant on Tomas Morato (Quezon City), Kim arrived ahead and decided to stay in her car while waiting for Echo who was coming from ABS-CBN where he guest-hosted It’s Showtime. They entered the resto together, Echo’s arm around Kim’s hips. They looked very much in love, their eyes often locked in each other while they finished their late lunch, short of spooning each other food. After the interview, they would rush to Echo’s place for their Thursday Bible study.

They both wore white (not deliberate, “Nagkataon lang,” said Echo). Yes, Kim was proudly wearing their engagement ring, fondly touching and keeping it in place every now and then. Asked how many carats the ring was, Kim was clueless, “I don’t know; he didn’t tell me. I don’t want to know.” And how much did it cost? “Secret?” Echo smiled, his dimples digging into his cheeks. “I bought it in Israel.”

Hardly wearing any make-up and pretty in casuals, Kim exuded an infectious aura that made everybody around her feel good. She’s beautiful inside out, no wonder Echo felt incredulously lucky — you know, “Jackpot!” Oh well, you would understand if Echo went around singing, “Me and Miss Jones, we have a thing going on!” And what a “thing’” it is! (A big “bonus” after he has won three Best Actor trophies for Alagwa.)

Kim was born in England to a British father and half-Filipina mother (who is part-Spanish/part-Chinese) and grew up in Adelaide, Australia, where she studied Architecture (under graduate). In 2010, urged by her model-brother Apollo Jones to try it here, Kim came for a five-week look-see, liked it here, went back to Adelaide and sold everything, then returned for good (“On a one-way ticket,” Echo aptly put it). And then she met Echo. “Modeling and doing TV have always been something I wanted to do,” added Kim who is an exclusive Solar TV artist, “something I wanted to explore.”

As the cliché goes, they are two right people (both “not committed”) meeting at the right place at the right time.

How did you meet?

Kim: It was at a dinner at Rockwell hosted by a make-up artist who’s Echo’s and my mutual friend. Dominic (Ochoa) and his wife were there. And several children, too.

Echo: When I arrived, I started cracking jokes with the children but Kim wasn’t laughing. It turned out that hindi pa-gets ni Kim ang Filipino comedy.

Kim: Filipino humor is very different from Australian humor. My Australian was thick. He didn’t understand me and I didn’t understand him.

Echo: May communication gap kami, hehehehe!

What first attracted you to each other?

Echo: Her eyes. Actually, before that dinner, I saved on my iPad her photos which my friend sent me. My friend was trying to set us up kasi. When I looked at the pictures, I exclaimed, “Oh my God, she’s so beautiful!” I saved two photos. So when the invitation to dinner came, punta kaagad ako.”

Kim (Joking, addressing Echo): And what was it that you saw in my eyes?

Echo: Her eyes are very caring. Besides her eyes, what I like about her is that magaan siyang kasama. Even at first meeting, you feel comfortable with her, you won’t feel awkward.

Kim: He’s a bit noisy so you can feel his presence at once. He’s super annoying but lovably so. As soon as he entered the room, you could at once feel his presence. He said “Hello!” to everyone and talked to everyone.

How soon after that did the courtship start?

Echo: It took two months before we saw each other again. I don’t know why. Kim hasn’t told me the truth up to now.

Kim (Blushing a bit): The truth is that I shied away from dating an actor. I wasn’t scared, because after our first meeting I felt that we had already started a friendship. I was just, you know…Dating was something else. You see, I’m a small-town girl at heart and it’s understandable, isn’t it?

Echo (Laughing): On our first date, I spilled beer on her dress. Dyahe!!! 

Kim: When we met again, he gave me a CD of classical music. I remembered having mentioned in passing during our first meeting that I liked classical music. It turned out that he had several classical songs recorded and kept the CD for two months. More than 101 of them.

Echo: We talked about music at that time. She asked me, “How do you get your music?” I said, “I buy CDs,” and she laughed at me. I didn’t have any idea kasi what iTunes was and what music blogging was. She’s advanced. She gave me songs na after a year pa lang sumikat dito.

Aside from music, what else do you have in common?

Echo: Sport. We both love outdoor activities like surfing.

Kim: He taught me how to surf. We go for the same kind of movies.

Echo: And the same kind of food.

Do you ever disagree on anything?

Echo: Architecture and fashion.

Kim: I style for him.

Echo: Feeling ko lang, she knows me very well. She’s the best person to help me style myself.

Speaking of knowing each other, I suppose you have known each other well enough for you to have decided to get married.

Kim: We had been talking about marriage for a while. We wouldn’t have gone into a relationship if we didn’t know that it would go somewhere. Oh by the way, it took eight months before I said “Yes” to him.

Echo: She really gave me a hard time, hehehehe! It was good because I also wanted to make sure. Me kasi, I have had several relationships (Among his exes were Kristine Hermosa, now Mrs. Oyo Sotto; Heart Evangelista, now the girlfriend of Sen. Chiz Escudero; and Cesca Litton, the TV host. — RFL) You know, before I met Kim, I was trying to decide na to live abroad.

Kim: We waited that long before we were careful. I mean, how often do you meet a guy who would really take the time to get to know you and everything…on a personal level. You know what I mean? Like most Filipino guys, he’s very chivalrous. He would open doors for me, pull a chair for me to sit on it and he even carries my bag when I get mad at him, hehehehe!

Have you met each other’s families?

Kim: Oh yes, we did.

Echo: Magkakasundo naman sila.

(To Kim): Were you surprised by Echo’s very public proposal?

Kim: I was taken aback! I thought he was just going to wish me happy birthday. (Kim is a Leo and Echo is a Virgo, born in September.) At first, I was speechless!

Echo: I’d been rehearsing that proposal the night before.

Do you have LQs (Lovers’ Quarrels) like any other couple, and how do you usually make up?

Kim: It happens when I become stubborn sometimes, hehehehe! He has a way of putting me in the right mood. He’s thoughtful. He would text me “Good morning!” and “Good night!”

Echo: When she became my girlfriend, I promised that I would take good care of her. Kung ano ang needs niya, I make sure na maibibigay ko sa kanya. Nagpa-practise na ako maging husband niya.

You plan to have a beach wedding (no date set yet). Will it be a big affair?

Kim: It might be. My folks will be coming from Australia.

Echo: We have many friends to invite. It would be a good idea to go surfing after we exchange “I do’s,” di ba? So our surfer-friends should be there. I hope there won’t be big waves at that time, hehehehe!

How many children do you plan to have?

Kim: Many! (She has only two siblings.)

Echo: As many as my siblings. I have around 10, including half siblings from both my mother’s side and my father’s side.

And what’s the best wedding gift that you would give each other?

Kim: Myself.

Echo: Well, myself. And a lifelong assurance that I’d be faithful to her and I will take care of her for the rest of our life together.

What about your honeymoon?

Kim (Joking): My favorite part, hehehehe!

Echo: I’m already saving up for it.

Kim: A road trip in the countryside in Europe would be nice.

Echo: Or holiday in Paris.

(E-mail reactions at [email protected]. You may also send your questions to [email protected]. For more updates, photos and videos visit www.philstar.com/funfare or follow me on www.twitter/therealrickylo.) PHOTOS by VER PAULINO